Ditch-digging machine



Aug. 23, 1927.

F'Jzl.

Y .INI/ENFOR.

GO l Daw'w I O Jwdfng -Aug. 23, 1927- J. s. Vsv/ALCH DITCH DIGGNG MACHINE Filed July so, 1925 s sheets-shut 2 ATTORNEY 23" 1,639,871 Aug- 1927 J. s. wALcl-l -v nl'rcu mesme MAGHINE Filed July zo, 192s :sheetssheet 3 BY ,M 'l

A may:

Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES `JACOB S. WALSH, QF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

Y BITCH-mesme MACHTNE.

Application led'rJuly 30, 1925. Serial No. 47,051.

This invention relates to excavating or digging machines andy especially to a type which is particularly adapted for digging irrigation ditches and the like.

The object of the present invention isto generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of excavating or digging machinery, and to provide a machine which is adapted to be attached to and drawn in a. forward direction by a tractor or the like, to provide a cutter or digging implementwhich is exceedingly rigid and substantial in construction, to provide means whereby the digging implement lmay be section of the digging implement and the mechanism supporting the same and cooperating therewith. Y Fig. 4 is a cross section of the digging implement taken yon line 1 -4, Fig. 8.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5--5,

Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates in general a. main frame supported by a pair of rear wheels 2 and a pair of front wheels 3. The front wheels are carried by an axle 4 which is centrally pivoted in a head member generally indicated at 5. The axle `is provided with a draw-bar 6 and as such may be attached to a. tractor or like device, The pivotal mounting of the front axle 4 is for the purpose of permitting steering .of the machine, for instance, when digging a ditch which vis curved or otherwise. The front axle is furthermore supported in such a manner that the forward end ofy the frame which carries the digging implement generally indicated at Bk may be quickly raised and lowered, for instance, to clear obstructions such as large rocks, bowlders, or the like. This may be accomplished in any suit-u able manner, but the mechanism employed in this invention consists of a shaft or pin 7 which carries the front axle. This shaft passes through the head member 5 and enters the cylinder 8. It has a piston 9 on its upper end and air under pressure isadmitted lto the upper end of the cylinder through a pipe 10. The cylinder 9 is carri-ed by the head member 5 to which the main frame .A

is'secured through a yoke 11 and if air under pressure is `admitted the cylinder t0- gether with the head 5, yoke 11, and frame A will be lifted in anupward direction with relation to the pin 7 and the piston. It is thus possible to quickly raise or lower the digging implement B. It is Valso possible to lock the frame in its raised position -by means of a pawl and rack generally indicated at 12. A further detailed description of this mechanism is thought unnecessary as it forms the subject matter of a co-pending application entitled Lifting device, filed July 30th.` 1925, Serial' No. 47,050.

The main novelty of the present invention is the digging implement and the mechanism employed in conjunction therewith for removing the earth or soil as it is raised by the digging implement. The detailed construction of the digging implement, the manner in which it is supported with relation to the yoke`11 and the main frame A, and the means for removing the soil and depositing it on the'side of the machine or ditch will now be described. and particular reference will be made to Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5.

rIhe yoke member 11 carried by the head 5 is secured at its rear end to a cross-frame C which consists of a horizontal cross-bar 14 and apair of side bars 15. The forward end of the main frame A is secured to the side members 15 and also to a second crossframe generally indicated at D. This crossframe also consists of a horizontalv crossbar 16 and side arms yor legs 17. Connecting the lower ends of the side-arms or legs 17 is a lower cross-bar 18, this bar being bolted or otherwise secured to' the lower ends of the legs 15 as at 19. The cross-bar 18 is reinforced with longitudinally extending ribs 20 and as such is exceedingly rigid. This is of particular importance as the cross-bar 18 serves the purpose of supporting the digging implement which consists of' a series of teeth 23 which are bolted or otherwise secured as indicated at 24. To further support the teeth 23 andy to take as much of the strainof the cross-bar 18 as possible, al link 25 is einployed.` This link is pivot-allyi-secured at its upper end as at 26y to the crossframe C and it is similarly pivotally secured at its lower end as at 27 to the cross-bar 19.

chine is being pulled in a forward direction.

I For the `purpose of removing th-e soil or dirt as it is piling up in front of the teeth 23, an endless conveyor or elevator gener- .ally kindicated at 'E is employed. This elevator passes over upper and lower sprockets orpulleys as indicated at 30 and 31 and is continuously driven as will hereinafter be described. This conveyor deposits the dirt or soil on a` cross-conveyor F mounted on the rear end of the main frame and as these conveyors are driven in unison the soil elevvated will vbedeposited on` the cross-conveyor and this will in turn 'deposit the soil to Yone side or another of the machine or 'the ditch which is being dug.

34 Vor Vother suitable means and 'power is in turn transmitted from shaft '33 to a shaft 35 which carries Vthe upper sprockets 30,

powerbeing transmitted through a chain orthe'lilte indicated at 36. In one end of the shaft 33 is disposed a. gear boX 37." A pair ofl bevel gears is mounted in Vthis box and these transmit power to thepulleys which carry and 'drive the cross-conveyonf Any other suitable mechanism may, however, be

employed for this purpose.

'From practical experience it has been found 'that when a machine of this character vis being pulled in a forward direction,y the soil broken up or lifted by the teeth 23 has a tendency to work out side-ways and that unless means were provided for preventing the soil fromthus escaping, comparatively little soil would be delivered to the elevator E. A pair of stationary side plates 40 are for'this reason employed, these plates being secured to the opposite sections or legs of the-cross-frames C and D.' A pair of auX- iliary plates such as shown at 41 are also employedfor'the same purpose. These side platesare slotted-as indicated at 42 and are guided by' pins 43 secured in the legs of the respective'frames C and D, the outer ends of the pins being braced or otherwise supported by Vside arms y44. In other words, the auxil- 'iary plates 41 i are :freely vmovable upon v the pins 48 between the stationary plates 40 and mately a foot.

the guide arms 44. The lower edges of the plates 41 are provided with runners 45 to take` up wear and tear as the auxiliary side pla-tes are supported on thel ground vand are free to rise and fall with relation to any obstructions or undulations formed in the surface.Y The real importanceof the auxiliary sideV plates will be realized when it is Y considered that there is afiXed distance 'bet-ween the loweredge of. the side plates 40 and the lower ends .of the digging teeth23; for instance, when starting into dig a ditch,

it is rseldom possible'to cut to a depth ofA I more than one foot; and as the distance between' the lower edge of the plates 40 and theV fl teeth may be four or live feet or more, itwill -be obvious that open spacesV will be left through which the dirt will escape. Such escape, however, is prevented as the auxiliary plates 41 drop down to the ground sur- 4" face and ride o-ver the same, thus closing this space when the first cut is taking place. After the digging implement reaches the position shown` in. Fig. 3,.the sides of the ditcliprevent escape ofthe soil and so ldo .the stationary plates 40. y.The auxiliary plates willthen merely ride free and unobstructed and serve no particular useful purpose except to lill in spaces where the ground is fairly un-even. Y

AIn actual operation, the vdraw-bar isV connected to one or more tractors disposed in a forward direction. lf a ditch four feet' f deep is to be dug, the forward-.end .of the frame is lowered by the pneumatic control until the teeth enter the ground .approXi- Y The forward Vmovement of th-etractor and digging implement causes the teeth to break and'raise the soil, and it isthus deposited on the conveyor belt E which delivers it to the cross-conveyor and this deposits the soil at the side of the ditch. After one cut has been completed', the Vimplement'is raised out ofthe soil and the inachine is turned around kand again placediii i i yline with the ditch. The teeth are then lowered another foot, rand the saineoperation takesfplace. If at any time rocks or bowlders are encountered which `might cause injury or breaking of the teeth, itis possible to quickly raise and lower the forward end of the frame and the-teeth by merely applying 'ain to the cylinder v9 through the control'valve nindicated at 41,

,exhausting the same when the obstruction is cleared. The auxiliary side plates 41-pre- I claim and desire to secure by Lettersl Patent is l. In a machine of the character described, pair of side frames, a front and a rear cross frame connecting the forwardends of the side frames, a bottom cross-bar, a'l plurality n a main frame, a pair of lnterspaced verticalof digging teeth secured thereto, and a linl; secured to the cross bar at one end and to the front cross frame at the other end.

2. In a machine of the character described,

a pair of side frames, a front and a: rear cross frame connecting the forward ends of the side frames, a bottom cross-bar, a plurality of digging teeth secured thereto, a link secured to the cross bar at one end and to the front cross frame at the other end, a pair of stationary side plates secured to the side frames, one on each side of the digging teeth, and a conveyor rearwardly of the digging teeth and adapted to remove soil raised by the digging teeth.

3. In a machine of the character described, a pair or side frames, a front and a rear cross frame connecting the forward ends of the side frames, a bottom cross-bar, a plurality of digging teeth secured thereto, a link secured to the cross bar at one end and to the front cross frame at theA other end, a pair of stationary side plates secured to the side frames, one on each side of the digging teeth, a conveyor rearwardly of the digging teeth and adapted to remove soil raised by the digging teeth, and means for raisingand lowering the side frames, the cross frames and the digging teeth in unison.

4. In a machine of the character described,

a main frame, a pair of interspaced vertically disposed stationary plates at the 'forward end of said'frame, angularly disposed digging teeth positioned between said plates and at the rear end of said plates, and av pair of auXilia-ry plates freely movable in a vertical direction with relation to the stationary plates and the digging teeth.

5. In a machine of the character described, a main frame, a pair of interspaced vertically disposed stationary plates at the forward end of said frame, angularly disposed digging teeth positioned between said plates and at the rear end of said plates, a pair of auxiliary plates freely movable in a vertical direction with relation to the stationaryr plates and the digging teeth, and means for raising and lowering the frame, the side plates, and the digging teethv with relation to said means.

6. In a machine of the character described,

ly disposed stationary plates at the forward end of said frame, a'ngularly disposed digging teeth positioned between said plates freely movable in a vertical direction with relation to the stationary plates and the digging teeth, means for raising and lowering the frame, the side plates, and the digging teeth with relation to said means, and anA endless conveyor disposed rearwardly of the digging teeth and adapted to remove soil raised by the digging teeth.

7. In a machine of the character described a main frame, a pair of interspaced vertically freely'movable plates at the forward end of said frame, angularly disposed digging teeth positioned between said plates and cross frames on the main frame upon which the interspaced plates are guided and movafble.

8. In a machine of the character described a pair of interspaced main frame members, cross frames connecting the forward ends of said frames, said cross frames having downwardly extending arms, a bottom cross frame, a plurality of digging teeth secured thereto, a link connecting said bottom cross frame and one of the first named cross frames and a pair of side plates vertically movable upon the downwardly extending arms of the first named cross frames.

JACOB S. WALCH. 

